I wanted to move the rabbits for some time now out of their winter quarters. I moved them once and put them back because the duck is still sitting on her nest in front of the rabbit hutch. Until she is off I could not move them.
They were so hot today that I though at least if I cannot move the whole thing, I could move the rabbits at least. I got the cages ready and put the rabbits in them. One of the females fought me and she has extremely sharp claws. It is not new that she fights though. She is highly protective, but today she was worse than usual.
I got the rabbits set up in the shady spot on nice green grass and gave them food and water and picked some quack grass for them which they love. All was well.
Then I went to get the little houses out and removed two but did not take the third because I got way laid some where else doing something else. I came back about 6 hours later and Robbie the border collie was intent on the little hutch that was left. I asked him what he saw and lifted the box and there they were! Three little bunnies about a week old were jumping around in there. It was odd that the mother had not pulled her down out to line the nest, but she had been in and out of the big community hutch a couple of times. The other odd thing is that the buck and another doe were there too with her. Last year, the other doe killed all the first doe's kits. Some may have been killed because she should have had more than three.
Anyhow, I figured out which doe it was by seeing which one was nursing and returned her to the big hutch. Travis came by and helped me put a tarp over it for shade. I brought her food and water and I sure hope she takes her bunnies back. She will nurse them only once a day, usually at night. Rabbit milk is very very rich and will sustain the babies until they are old enough to come out and start to nibble on food and drink water. The bunnies will start to nourish themselves by 3 weeks, but the doe will nurse them for 8 weeks and they should not be weaned unti then.
Baby bunnies are so cute, even when they are tiny as these. Thanks momma bunny!
They were so hot today that I though at least if I cannot move the whole thing, I could move the rabbits at least. I got the cages ready and put the rabbits in them. One of the females fought me and she has extremely sharp claws. It is not new that she fights though. She is highly protective, but today she was worse than usual.
I got the rabbits set up in the shady spot on nice green grass and gave them food and water and picked some quack grass for them which they love. All was well.
Then I went to get the little houses out and removed two but did not take the third because I got way laid some where else doing something else. I came back about 6 hours later and Robbie the border collie was intent on the little hutch that was left. I asked him what he saw and lifted the box and there they were! Three little bunnies about a week old were jumping around in there. It was odd that the mother had not pulled her down out to line the nest, but she had been in and out of the big community hutch a couple of times. The other odd thing is that the buck and another doe were there too with her. Last year, the other doe killed all the first doe's kits. Some may have been killed because she should have had more than three.
Anyhow, I figured out which doe it was by seeing which one was nursing and returned her to the big hutch. Travis came by and helped me put a tarp over it for shade. I brought her food and water and I sure hope she takes her bunnies back. She will nurse them only once a day, usually at night. Rabbit milk is very very rich and will sustain the babies until they are old enough to come out and start to nibble on food and drink water. The bunnies will start to nourish themselves by 3 weeks, but the doe will nurse them for 8 weeks and they should not be weaned unti then.
Baby bunnies are so cute, even when they are tiny as these. Thanks momma bunny!
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